Improvement in nipple-guards of fire-arms



V I 1). W. SMITH.

Nipple-Guard for Fire-Arms.

Patented Jan 26, 1858.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFICE.

DAVID WV. SMITH, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT lN NIPPLE-GUARDS OF FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 19,21 3, dated January 26, 1858.

is all whom it may concern.-

Be itknown that I, DAVID W. SMITH, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and use ful Improvement in Fire-Arms; and I do hereby declare that the same is fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 denotes a side elevation of a pistol having my improvement applied to it; Fig. 2, a transverse section of the same and the nipple cap or guard, to be hereinafter described. Fig. 3 is a view of the pistol, showing the nipple-guard in the position it assumes after being thrown off the percussion-nipple by the hammer of the lock, and preparatory to the descent of such hammer in order to explode a percussion-cap when on the nipple.

In such drawings, a denotes the hammer of the lock of the pistol, while bis the percussionnipple. Such nipple has applied to it a guard or thimble, a, formed of metal or other suitable material, and made capable of resting on that part of the lock immediately surrounding the nipple. Furthermore, the said guard is to be so applied to the lock or pistol as to be capable of being moved over and on and off the nipple, and so as to protect the said nipple from any accidental fall of the hammer, as well as from any accidental blow or force which might otherwise be brought on the nipple or a percussion-cap placed thereon. The cover-guard also serves to preserve the nipple from water or dampness, and, as represented in the drawings, is jointed or hinged by means of an arm or projection, 11, to the front end of a lever,'e, extending along the outside of the lock-case f, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. This lever turns on a fulcrum at g, and projects rearward directly underneath an arm or cam, i, extending from the hammer a, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Directly over the front'arm of the lever there is arranged a movable tongue, k, which turns on a screw, Z, and projects into the angle between the lever and cover-arm, and when raised upward is forced or operates against the arm (I in such mannenas to force it laterally toward the muzzle of the piece, and thereby throw the cover or nipple guard forward and off the nipple, and this whenever the said guard and the front arm of the lever, to which it is hinged, are raised or forced 11pward. During the act of moving the hammer from half-cock to full-cock the arm projecting from it bears on and turns the lever e, so as to cause it to turn on its fulcrum and elevate both the tongue and the nipple-guard, whereby the said nipple-guard will be forced into the position shown in Fig. 3 preparatory to a discharge of the piece. Under ordinary circumstances, the nipple-guard may be maintained in place over the nipple by dropping the hammer from half-cock down on the top of the nipple-guard, in which case the mainspring of the lock, operating through the hammer, will maintain the nipple-guard on and around the nipple, so as to prevent the latter from receiving a blow accidentally.

I do not claim applying a cover-guard to the percussion-nipple; nor do I claim applying the cover-guard directly to the look, so as to turn on a pin or fulcrum projecting there from, and operating or throwing up the said guard by a lever separate from it and actuated or moved by a cam on the lower part of the hammer or cook; but

WVhat I do claim is Applying the cover-guard to the lock in manner and operating it by means substantially as described-that is to say, by jointing the cover-guard directly to the lever e, and operating the said guard by means of the tongue 70 and the lever, in connection with the arm at or its equivalent, extending from the cook or hammer, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature this 24th day of September, A. D. 1857.

DAVID IV. SMITH.

Witnesses:

R. II. EDDY, F. P. HALE, Jr. 

